The Padres’ third baseman strolled into the clubhouse early Sunday – well ahead of Tuesday’s official reporting date for position players – in good spirits, in good health … and soon in some new kicks.

As he unpacked a box of custom Adidas cleats (made off molds of his feet), Headley admitted he couldn’t be too sure if his offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee is the answer to the question that seemed to dog him all of 2013: What went wrong?

After all, Headley said Sunday that the balky knee he originally injured last spring felt its worst in September, when he slashed a season-best .305/.424/.573. He never intended on using his knee as an excuse when he finally revealed the injury during the final weekend of the season and the same goes for the broken thumb that landed him on the disabled list to start the year.

Not that Headley hasn’t searched high and low for answers. He changed his grip. He checked his vision. As the season wore on, some things began to click.

However, his offseason – save for getting into the gym much sooner to rehab that knee – wasn’t overhauled as he prepares for his final year under the Padres’ control (more on that and his $10.525 million contract when he gets settled, he said).

“You evaluate what went right and went wrong,” said Headley, who went through a light workout and hit on the field alongside second baseman Jedd Gyorko, who also arrived on camp Sunday. “But you do that every year.”